An electric motor is described, for example, in DE 103 13 274 A1 and the corresponding EP 1 419 568 B1. In this case the motor is specifically one which has a substantially closed or encapsulated motor housing having a high level of IP protection in accordance with DIN/IEC EN 60034-part 5, comprising a stator and an external rotor, which surrounds the stator from one side as part of a motor housing in the form of a pot, and an adjoining electronics housing as a further part of the motor housing on the side axially opposite the external rotor, which electronics housing contains control electronics. The motor housing is designed so as to be substantially closed or encapsulated, apart from an annular gap required for the rotation between the external rotor and the adjoining housing region, this annular gap being sealed off against the ingress of moisture and other contaminants via a rotary seal, generally in the form of a labyrinth seal. With the known motor, the electronics housing has an opening for electrical connection purposes, it being possible for this opening to be closed in a seal tight manner by means of a connecting plug-type connector, which is connected to external connecting lines. Within the electronics housing, corresponding opposing contacts are arranged in the region of the housing opening as the connecting device. The cited publications do not disclose anything about the nature of the internal electrical connections between the opposing contacts of the connecting device and the control electronics and between the control electronics and the stator or the wiring device thereof.
However, with such known motors it has until now been the case that fixedly connected, in particular soldered lines have been provided for all internal connections.
In this regard, reference is also made in supplementary fashion to the publication which was cited and whose contents were acknowledged in EP 1 419 586 B1: Ziehl Abegg's company brochure “The Intelligent Drive”, EC Flyer p65 01/99. With the EC motor depicted therein, the internal line connections can clearly be identified.
Although such motors correspond to a high level of IP protection, under unfavorable operating conditions damp or even moisture can nevertheless enter the motor housing, to be precise primarily through the unavoidable annular gap between the external rotor and the adjoining housing region. Once moisture has entered here, it can propagate within the motor and result in damage.